Martin Skelly
UWalk showcased their business as an operator specialising in self-guided walking holidays on the Camino de Santiago routes across Portugal and Spain. The company, with over 50 years of background in Irish retail travel, curates packages that include hand-picked accommodation, daily luggage transfers, and 24-hour support from local teams. Its product is tailored for individuals, couples, and groups seeking the experience for reasons ranging from personal challenge to spirituality, rather than strictly religious pilgrimage.
Martin Skelly of UWalk told the annual conference of the Irish Travel Agents Association in Alcobaca in Portugal that its packages are structured to begin upon arrival in Iberia, providing agents with commercial scope to add flights and transfers. He emphasised the trade-friendly model, which allows agents to build a commissionable package holiday. Accommodation is selected from two and three-star hotels located directly on the trail, often run by local owners.
Skelly detailed the operational support, including a pre-departure Camino passport and on-the-ground assistance from teams based in Navarra and Santiago de Compostela. The typical itinerary involves walking approximately 100 kilometres over five days, with customers able to start from various points like Porto in Portugal or Sarria in Spain. The service is designed to handle logistics so walkers can focus on the journey.
The operator’s expertise is underscored by the fact that all office staff have personally walked the Camino, providing detailed product knowledge and personal connections with hoteliers and restaurateurs along the routes. This is presented as a key advantage for agents seeking a reliable, knowledgeable partner for clients wanting an active, immersive experience in rural Iberia.
In summary, UWalk positions itself as a facilitator for a transformative travel experience, offering a streamlined, supported product that agents can easily integrate and sell. The focus is on delivering the essential elements—accommodation, baggage handling, and support—while allowing walkers the autonomy and peace central to the Camino’s appeal.
Martin Skelly shared: “We offer a choice of routes for individuals… we work with the trade, so we can tailor for anybody to start the Camino at any particular point.”
“Our packages start when you arrive in Spain, [which]gives scope, commercial scope for agents to put together packages with their own flights… and to get a commission on the package holiday.”
“Everybody in the office has been on the Camino. We know the hoteliers and we know the owners by their names… We’re just a vehicle to make that [experience]happen for everybody.”
